Denmark to host 2019 wheelchair rugby Euros

The 2019 International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) European Championship Division A will come to Vejle, Denmark, from 3-12 August.

Host nation Denmark will be joined by France, Germany, Great Britain, Poland and Sweden, who qualified following their performances at the 2017 edition in Koblenz, Germany.

The field of eight teams will be completed by the top two finishers from the 2018 Europeans Division B, which will take place 7-15 October in Pajulahti, Finland.

The top two teams from the 2019 Europeans will secure spots at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, while the bottom two will be relegated to Division B in 2020.

The tournament draw for the Division A Championship will be held by IWRF in early 2019.

John Petersson, Chair of Parasport Denmark, the event’s local organising committee, said: “The Municipality of Vejle, Sport Event Denmark and we are very pleased that IWRF has seen our vision and has confidence in our ability to host an event like the European Championship. We can’t wait to get started and will do our best, in close cooperation with IWRF, to make an unforgettable event.”

Eron Main, Chief Executive Officer of IWRF, said: “Denmark has hosted several successful IWRF events, including the 2014 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship in Odense. The bid we received from Velje was excellent and we look forward to returning to Denmark in 2019 for our European Championship.”

At August’s World Championship in Sydney, Australia, Great Britain took the highest finish in the region with fourth, while France came in fifth place.

Hosts Denmark, who had hosted the 2005 and 2009 European Championships, saw a seventh-place finish in Sydney.